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ELLE DECOR began as a magazine, something you display on your cocktail table or roll up and stash in your pocket or purse. It was merely words and images on paper but we aimed to bring our readers dazzling photographs and charming and informative stories. At least some of you, I hope, are still reading the magazine on paper.

Last fall, the magazine took on yet another form, with the opening of ELLE DECOR's first showhouse (I think of it as ED in 3D). Thanks to developer Regina Callan, the contributions of a slew of sponsors, and—most important—the talents of 11 of the Bay Area's best designers, a home dating from the 1920s in San Francisco's historic St. Francis Wood neighborhood was transformed into the latest in chic family living. The results, which you can see on pages 71–86 (and, of course, on our website), were stunning. The house was reconfigured to incorporate all the latest technological advances, from solar panels to tankless water heaters, yet the designers never lost sight of how a family really wants to live—the need for privacy, the desire to gather together, the longing to be surrounded by beauty, but also the ability to relax and put your feet up. I couldn't have been more pleased with the results.

At ELLE DECOR, we certainly haven't finished exploring technology. We're working on iPad apps, e-commerce, streaming video, and live blogging by designers. And there will definitely be more showhouses in our future. ELLE DECOR has grown from a magazine into a brand, and we want to be able to reach our fans in whatever format is most convenient. We hope to continue to inspire you with fresh ideas and intelligent insights. And I promise you, many of them will still be in the form of a magazine, printed on paper, that you can roll up and put in your pocket or purse.